Press for the manufacture of fuel balls, briquets, &amp;c.



No. 799,149. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. H. J. DBBAUGHB. PRESS FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF FUEL BALLS, BRIQUETS, &0.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 1904.

No. 799,149. PATENTBD SEPT. 12, 1905. H. J. DBBAUGHE. PRESS FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF FUEL BALLS, BRIQUETS, &0.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTA r as PaTENT OFFICE.

PRESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL BALLS, BRIQUETS, 81.0.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed May 2, 1904. Serial No. 205,986.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUBERT Josnrrr Dn- BAUGHE, a subject of the King ofBelgium, residing at Gilly, Belgium, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Presses for the Manufacture of Fuel Balls,Briquets, and the Like, of which the following is a specilication.

The presses used for compressing coal and the like into balls orbriquets of suitable shapes, more particularly into elliptical,spherical, or lenticular briquets, generally comprise cylindersrevolving in opposite directions and having on their peripheries moldsor the like which impart to the briquets the desired shape. The strainon these cylinders is very considerable, since the mass introducedbetween them tends to force the cylinders apart. In order to preventthis, it has hitherto been usual to use a frame of great rigidity andstrength, in which the bearings for the journals of the cylinders aresupported at fixed distances from each other, so as to prevent anyseparation whatever of the cylinders. This direct connection of theframes with the bearings and the absolute rigidity of the connectionthrow very great normal strain on the frames and cause the latter to bebent or broken if on occasion an exceptional strain is produced owingeither to defective preparation of the coal-paste or to the presence ofa foreign body in the latter. Other very considerable disadvantages areconnected with the direct and rigid connection referred to, and seriousaccidents are liable to occur if the frames give way.

The improved construction to which the present invention relates removesall these disadvantages.

The invention substantially consists in relieving the frames of thestrains due to the compressing of the coal and transferring thesestrains to steel connecting parts which are independent of the frames.

The invention also comprises resilient means for regulating the pressureexerted on the coal to be compressed and for allowing the cylinders tomove apart under the action of any strain which exceeds the maximum forwhich the regulating device is adjusted.

The invention also comprises means for assembling the frames with theaid of curved cross-bars integral with the latter and,further, relatesto a special arrangement of the transmission-gear.

The annexed drawings illustrate one form of construction of the improvedpress.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, an end elevationthereof, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal vertical section illustrating themeans by which the frame is relieved of the strain due to thecompression of the coal.

A and A are frame parts connected to each other by means of the curvedcross-pieces B and B, which are respectively integral with the saidframe parts and meet in the central plane of the machine. The frame can,however, also be made in one piece provided with the same kind ofcross-pieces. The recesses C and C in the frame contain the bearings Dand D for the journals N of the cylinders M and M. The hearings in therecesses U have no play and are fixed, whereas those in the recesses Gare movable in the longitudinal direction of the frame. The plate F,which is of suitable thickness, serves to fix the normal position of thebearings D and the dis tance between the cylinders M and M.

The plate G serves as an abutment between the bearings D and the rod H,at the end of which latter a series of Belleville disks acting as aspring, is arranged. The spring j abuts against the cross-bar K, whichhas bearing against shoulders formed by the enlarged heads of the rods Land L. These rods are carried through the frame to beyond the head Z ofthe frame, and on the ends of rodsL and L are screwed the nuts (4 a,bearing against head Z. The spring j must be sufficiently compressed toexert the desired degree of pressure on the coal to be agglomerated.

The rods L and L extend through practically the entire length of themachine, and the play allowed to the bearings D and the abutment-plate Gin the part G of the recess C relieves the frame of tensile strain dueto the compression or displacement of the cylinders, the reactionaryeffect of said compression being directly transmitted to the rods L andL. The latter are of rectangular section with the exception of thoseparts which are engaged by the nuts (4. The section of the said rods atthe end engaged by the nuts is considerably less than that of the otherparts of the rods in order that if the latter should break the fracturewill inevitably take place at that end. To prevent in case of fracturethe ejection of the broken parts of the rods by the force of the springj, each of said rods L and L is provided with a slot 6, .into whichengages a tenon 0, fixed to the frame, and a guard (Z is fixed in frontof the nuts a. The tenons have suflficient longitudinal play in theslots Z) to prevent interference with the requisite movement of the rodsL and L; but if fracture of the latter occurs the said tenons willprevent the ejection of the longer parts of the rods L and L and theguard D will retain the shorter parts carrying the nuts (0.

When the normal pressure required to compress or agglomerate the coal orthe like between the cylinders M and M is exceeded,

the cylinders M yield and force back the spring j. The frame istherefore never subjected to tensile strain whether the force tending tomove apart the cylinders is normal or not.

The plates E serve to prevent the vertical displacement of the bearingsD and D.

Each pair of cylinders M and M is rigidly connected to a gear-wheel O,and said wheels 0 are in gear with each other in order to render therotary movement of the cylinders uniform. One of the gear-wheels Omeshes with a pinion P, to which rotation is imparted by means of theshaft Q, the gear-wheels S and T, the shaft 10, and the pulley W isaloose pulley on said shaft a. The drivinggear described is not mountedon supports independent from the frame, but is directly supported by thebearings Rand V, let into the frame ofthe press itself.

The material to be compressed may be fed to the space between thecylinders from the hopper y by means of the chutes w m.

It will be seen that apart from the advantage resulting from the absenceof strain on the frame the advantage of stability of the press as awhole is secured by the special method of connecting the two frame partsto each other and by the arrangement of the ClPIV'? ing-gear in bearingsfixed to the said frame itself.

I declare that what I claim is 1. In a press for the purpose set forth,the combination of a frame a pair of moldingcylinders rotatable inopposite directions between which the material to be compressed is fed,bearings for said cylinders in the frame and strain-rods extendingthrough the frame v and externally thereof at both ends and havingbearing externally against the frame rearwardly of saidcylinder-bearings respectively so as to brace the frame between planesexternal to said bearings.

2. In a press for the purpose set forth, the combination of a frame apair of moldingcylinders rotatable in opposite directions between whichthe material to be compressed is fed, bearings for said cylinders in theframe and strain-rods extending through the frame and having bearingrearwardly of said bearings respectively so as to brace the framebetween planes external to said bearings together with means engagingvsaid rods for protecting their ejection.

8.. In a press forthe purpose set forth, the combination of a frame apair of moldingcylinders rotatable in opposite directions between whichthe material to be compressed is fed, bearings for said cylinders in theframe and strain-rods extending through the frame and having bearingrearwardly of said bearings respectively so as to brace the framebetween planes external to said hearings together with means engagingsaid bars for protecting their ejection and a shield rearward of theirends said ends being of reduced strength.

4:. In a press for the purpose set forth the combination of a frame, apair of moldingcylinders rotatable in opposite directions,

bearings for said cylinders in the frame, one of said bearings beingfixed and the other movable, strain-rods extending through the framefrom a plane external of the fixed bearing to a plane external of themovable bearing and a resilient device external of said movable bearing,the said strain-rods having bearing inwardly against said frame andagainst said resilient device respectively.

5. In a press for the purpose set forth the combination of a framecomprising two half parts each having curved cross-pieces meeting in thecentral plane of the press, two pairs of molding-cylinders rotatable inopposite directions, between which the material to be compressed is fed,one of said pairs having fixed bearings in the frame and the other pairlongitudinally-displaceable bearings therein, a system of slotted rodsextending through the frame, nuts on the ends of said rods adapted tobear against the frame, a guardplate in front of said nuts a cross-baron the other end of said rod system, rods connecting said cross-bar andmovable bearings, springs intermediate the latter and said cross-bar andtenons on the frame adapted to engage the slots in the rods withlongitudinal play, substantially as described.

6. In a press for the purpose set forth the combination of a framecomprising two half parts, each having curved cross-pieces meeting inthe central plane of the press, two pairs of molding-cylinders rotatablein opposite directions between which the material to be compressed isfed, one of said pairs havingsaid cross-bar, tenons on the frame adaptedto engage the slots in the rods with longi- In Witness whereof Ihavesigned this specitudinal play, and means for rotating the lication inthe presence of two Witnesses.

aforesaid cylinders comprising intermeshing HUBERT JOSEPH DEBAUCHE.

toothed wheels 1n connection with the cyhn- 5 ders and intermediatedriving-gear having its \Vitnesses:

bearings directly fixed to the frame, snbstan- A. HAY,

tially as described. I GREGORY PI-IELAN.

